IAS 2015 TO FEATURE LANDMARK RESEARCH COVERING THE MOST CRITICAL AREAS IN THE GLOBAL RESPONSE TO HIV
New Studies on the Benefits of Earlier HIV Treatment, Real-World Use of PrEP and Advances in Cure Research Lead the Conference Agenda
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (19 July 2015) - More than 6,000 HIV professionals
from around the world have gathered in Vancouver for the 8th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2015), the world’s
leading scientific meeting on HIV. The IAS 2015 conference programme includes 1,200 scientific abstracts
and dozens of satellite sessions addressing every aspect of HIV research and global responses to the
epidemic. The four-day conference is organized by the International AIDS Society (IAS), in
partnership with the University of British Columbia Division of AIDS, based at
St. Paul’s Hospital, Providence Health Care.
It has been nearly 20 years since the International AIDS Society last convened in Vancouver. At the
historic 1996 International AIDS Conference, researchers presented ground-breaking evidence that
combination antiretroviral therapy could effectively control HIV infection. Since that time,
new therapies have transformed the lives of millions of people living with HIV worldwide,
and significant advances have been made in HIV prevention.
“IAS 2015 will be a game-changing conference in the history of HIV,” said Chris Beyrer, IAS 2015
International Chair and IAS President. “We’ll release new data that provides compelling evidence
for the earlier initiation of HIV treatment and the feasibility of implementing PrEP in diverse
settings around the world, and showcase notable advances in the pursuit of an HIV cure. But
this is not a time for complacency. Our focus now must be on implementing the full range
of prevention and treatment options currently at our disposal.”
“IAS 2015 returns to Vancouver at another watershed moment in the global HIV epidemic since HAART
was first introduced here in 1996,” said Julio Montaner, IAS 2015 Local Co-Chair and Director of
the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS. “We’ve made major gains in the past
two decades in British Columbia and with the implementation of our pioneered Treatment as
Prevention® strategy. We have gone from a province with the highest per capita rate of
HIV to the lowest rate. Research advances continue to bring us closer to the day
when HIV and AIDS are no longer a crisis throughout the world.”
At today’s opening press conference, plenary speakers Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institut
e on Drug Abuse at the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Ambassador Deborah Birx, U.S. Global AIDS
Coordinator and Director of the PEPFAR programme, previewed plenary addresses detailing their
agencies’ HIV research, policy and implementation agendas. Michel Sidibé, Executive Director
of UNAIDS, also updated attendees on progress toward the achievement of global HIV treatment goals.
“IAS 2015 promises to be one of our most scientifically significant meetings,” said IAS Executive
Director Owen Ryan. “In addition to releasing the latest science, our meetings have always served
a critically important role in advocating for fair and effective policies, supporting increased
funding for research and services and galvanizing communities around the world.”
Innovative and inspiring responses to AIDS by NGOs, the private sector, governments and individuals
are also a key component of the lessons and experiences shared at the IAS meeting. At today’s opening
ceremony, musician and director Ryan Lewis and his mother, Julie Lewis, a 30-year HIV survivor,
discussed the 30/30 Project, which they founded to improve access to comprehensive healthcare
in communities impacted by HIV/AIDS. The project is working to develop 30 new medical
facilities worldwide, the first of which will be built in Malawi and Kenya.
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About IAS
Founded in 1988, the International AIDS Society (IAS) is the world's largest association of HIV
professionals, with members from more than 180 countries. IAS members work on all fronts of the
global response to AIDS and include researchers, clinicians, policy and programme planners,
and public health and community practitioners.
About IAS 2015
The 8th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (19-22 July, Vancouver) is the
leading scientific meeting on HIV. IAS 2015 brings together a broad cross section of more than
6,000 HIV professionals from around the world, with a focus on moving science into practice.
IAS 2015: Join the Conversation
Get the latest conference updates and share your thoughts and ideas through the IAS 2015 Social
Media channels.
• We are tweeting – @IAS_conference and @iasociety – and hope many of you will tweet along with us, using #IAS2015 to keep the conversation going.
• Like IAS 2015 on Facebook – and stay in touch with the latest conference updates and developments.
• Check us out on Instagram to see photos as they are happening! https://instagram.com/iasociety/
• Tell us why you're following IAS 2015 and what matters most to you. Join the IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention group on LinkedIn. You are welcome to start new discussions and add your comments to existing threads.
Contacts:
Kyle Murphy, +1 778 389 1695
kmurphy@corkeryunlimited.com
Rob Caruano, +1 778 386 3485
rcaruano@corkeryunlimited.com
www.iasociety.org | www.ias2015.org | www.aids2016.org
"Reproduced with permission - International AIDS Society (IAS)"
International AIDS Society (IAS)
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